Page:Ling-Nam; or, Interior views of southern China, including explorations in the hitherto untraversed island of Hainan (IA cu31924023225307).pdf/177

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The Gorges of the Lien-Chow River. 173

access, which have been fortified and used as retreats in times of distress. At the head of this pass a stream of some importance flews in from the south. It is called Pak-fu creek, after a market town of the same name situated afew miles up its stream. It flows down through an interesting valley, sweeping the southern boundaries of the country of the Aborigines, or Iu people, and is navigable by sraall boats for a distance of twenty miles to the town of Chai-kong.

In the rocky hill on the west side of this stream, just: before it flows into the river, is the cave of Kun-yam. A temple stands before the entrance, shrines fill the interior, and images without number are seen on every shelf and projection among the rocks. The walls are black with the smoke of the incense, and the visitor almost suffocated by its fumes. The cave is said to be very extensive, three large wax candles, burned succes- sively, being needed to light one to the end of it. The hill above it, and the one on the opposite side of the main stream, are well wooded, but the sharp-pointed rocks of which they are cormposed make the ascent diffi- eult; a mile from this point we reach Tsom-t’an, or barren as those of the one below. They are like palisades slightly overhanging the water, with ferns, grasses, and shrubs growing abundantly on the unseen surface. Over the face of the eastern wall, at certain seasons, six beauti- ful waterfalls descend about forty feet inte the river, all of them in view at the same time.
 * Pillow Pass.” The walls of this are not so high or

The hills on either side are covered with many flowering shrubs: roses, azaleas, crépe myrtles, cleanders, clematis,